Mattie, our one-eyed beauty, is the latest addition to our family. She joined us on January 2, 2010 — a great way to start the new year, both for us and for Mattie.
Mattie’s Story
This past Christmas, Lisa and I began an annual Christmas tradition of making a donation to the local, no-kill animal shelter, ARK of Cleveland. We went to the ARK on Saturday, January 2, to give them a check. We tarried to look at the new dogs and cat being sheltered there. However, we intended to do just that: look — not adopt — because we already had two dogs and two cats at home, three of them rescue animals.
Mattie Playing in a Basket
After checking out the dogs in the front room, we went into the back room to look at the cats and kittens. As soon as we entered it, I noticed a small black kitten lying in a bed. I also noticed her eye.
“Lisa,” I said. “There’s something wrong with her eye.”
I picked up the kitten and cuddled her. “Lisa,” I said, “she has only one eye. Oh, the poor little thing.”
“No, Dan,” Lisa told me firmly. “We have enough animals at home.”
“But — ”
“No.”
Then Lisa took the kitten from me. The kitten purred and curled up in Lisa’s arms. “Ohhh, she’s so cute!” Lisa cooed. “But she’s black and has just one eye. No one’s going to want her.”
It turned out that the kitten had arrived in a cardboard box, along with her four litter mates, on the front steps of the shelter in October. All five kittens were in bad health and starving. One of the ARK staff took them home and put out two bowls of food for them. But the kittens were so hungry that they fought one another to get at the food. During the brawl, this kitten’s eye got gouged out. The staff took her to the vet, who removed the eye.
By the time we arrived in January, the kitten’s four litter mates had found homes. But not her.
So we took the kitten home.
Mattie’s New Home
Mattie and Mac Playing
The first thing we did was change her name. The vet who took out her eye had named her Cyclops. Ugh! What a name! The Ark staff were calling her Cy for short.
We named her Mahatible, after my great great great grandmother, Mahitable Lutts, who, along with her husband John, founded my branch of the Lutts family in Kittery, Maine. But we call her Mattie.
Mattie adapted to her new home rapidly. Unlike Caesar and Princess, she’s not afraid of the dogs when they want to play with her. In fact, she adores Mac, who loves her back just as much. Mattie loves to lie on her back while Mac licks her in the face, wrap her paws around his muzzle, and lick him back. She also enjoys playing with his tail and biting it.
Proud Parents
At first, Faith was frightened by Mattie’s quick movements. Now, though, Faith actually plays with Mattie. Both Lisa and I are pleased with this development because, up till now, Mac, Caesar, and Princess wouldn’t play with her. The cats were frightened of her and would run away whenever she tried to play doggie games with them. And Mac just wasn’t interested. To make matters worse, whenever our dog sitter Kim cames over with her male dog Charlie, Charlie and Mac would play together and ignore poor Faith. So Faith would end up hanging out with Kim.
But now Faith has a playmate.
Mattie is a reall sweetie. She’s very affectionate and verba — and a welcome addition to our family.
